Written With Stars
by jinxed-lulu
Summary: What does Hermione see when reading between the lines of the relationship between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy? AU, EWE; HPDM slash.


**Disclaimer: **This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

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**Written With Stars**

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"Malfoy is lookin' at Harry _again_, Hermione."

She turned to face Ron and nodded, then proceeded to make a vague noise of agreement. "I doubt it's for any nefarious reasons," she said. _Not the kind your thinking of, anyway_, she finished if only to herself.

Oh how it frustrated Hermione that no one seemed to see it but her!

Most people just shrugged the whole thing off, forcibly reminded of the two's schoolboy rivalry. Then there was the very few, like her boyfriend and Ginny, who thought the blond was planning something.

Personally, she just thought that Ginny was having a case of denial. As a smart woman, she to, should be seeing the same thing as Hermione. Yet the poor girl was in need for a reason that Harry hadn't gotten back together with her, a little over a year later. Thus Ron's reasoning gave her something to call what was going on between Malfoy and Harry and still left her an opening for her to still 'have' the young man that she claimed to love.

Ron snorted. "Then why's the pointy git stalking him with his eyes?"

"Oh, Ron," she bemoaned, "what reason does Malfoy have to hurt Harry? Just _think_ about it."

"I did, Hermione, and the only reason I could think of was that he still wants to prove himself better than Harry."

Merlin, what utter rubbish was this? She was afraid if she rolled her eyes any harder, she might just hurt herself.

Oh please, if anyone would just _think_ about it for a moment, they might obtain the right reason. And when one thought back, they could see that Malfoy had starting acting much like this during third year. That's when Harry started having less and less time to devote to his feud with the Slytherin—as he had to focus on school, friends and Voldemort. So Malfoy acted in the way most young boys with a crush do – started more fights with him, demanding attention. Hermione was aware that most of the insults towards her and Ron were thrown in spite and jealousy; not wanting his little crush to go out with them.

Then to see Harry's side of the tale, it would be their joyous sixth year, when his stalking began. Now she did know that part of it was Harry wanting to prove that Malfoy was a Death Eater and put a stop to whatever he had planned. Even so, he didn't have to watch him every minute or thinking about him obsessively. Mostly her best friend's own denial for falling for Malfoy; and his relief when the other boy had lowered his wand atop of the Astronomy Tower that night was too much.

"Ronald," she started in her bossiest voice, knowing it'd make him pay attention. He looked towards her sharply. "Draco Malfoy does not want to do anything of the sort," she said slowly and holding up a hand when he looked to interrupt, "this behavior is nothing new. He's wanted something _more_ from Harry for a long time."

Poor Ron's eyes got all wide and his ears turned red; it would seem he'd just figured it out. Finally.

"Bloody hell!" he said in a whisper yell. "Y-you mean," he stopped to swallow hard, "so you mean to tell me, that … that wanker wants him?"

"Yes!" she hissed. "Watch them! You'll see what I'm talking about."

Ron nodded his answer, looking like he might be sick. Bah. He'd get over it – someday.

Looking at Malfoy now, he was currently standing off to the side, watching as Harry spoke with Kingsley Shacklebolt. To anyone who just glanced off in his direction he looked as if he was just nursing his drink while watching the people at the Ministry gathering. And Malfoy's narrowed eyes, so focused on her ebony haired friend, reminded her of a hawk's. Taking in every detail and missing nothing.

When anyone around their age, that looked like someone that Harry might fancy came to close, Malfoy would stand straight and proud then sneer at them. One would have to be a fool not to turn around that the message he was sending. It clearly stated that he would fight for what was his, and he wasn't about using every ounce of his Slytherin cunning to come out the victor. He'd then turn back and look right at Harry – the look in Malfoy's eyes was such a possessive promise, that it almost sent shivers down her spine.

If Hermione were to be honest, she could see why Harry liked him. Malfoy had gotten a tad taller since school, and his face did look less pointy. Now he was wearing a black suit – not unlike the one's he wore during their sixth year; it really brought out his pale skin. His blond hair was still cut short, and thankfully wasn't gelled back. And his body might have been lanky, but playing all of that Quidditch saved him from that.

She could also see reason for Malfoy's desperate need to claim Harry. He was no longer that skinny underfed looking boy from Hogwarts. Standing at 5'11" now, he'd filled out much more; his only feature that made him resemble that child was Harry's boyish grin. The clothes she'd picked for him tonight very much highlighted these things – a white buttoned dress shirt with black fitted trousers.

"I'm confused," chimed her boyfriend. "At times it looks like Harry enjoys having Malfoy watching him… Then it seems like he couldn't care less about it all."

Letting out a smirk, she asked, "don't you see what he's doing?"

"No?" answered Ron.

"Well, Malfoy is taking the predator stance, stalking him," she said, talking fast now, "but Harry doesn't want him to think that he'll be an easy prey. That he's not going to ever be completely submissive to Malfoy dominate nature."

"How will he do that?"

Hermione gave him her best _you-can't-be-that-stupid_ look. "By having a relationship as equals; so even if Harry is currently the one to be 'caught' he won't always be taking that place, should it go any further."

"Think Harry's going to make … make nice with the git?" asked Ron, sounding as if it had pained him to say it – and it might have.

Considering her answer, she watched the way that Malfoy stalked towards the darkened corner of the room that Harry had slinked off to. Hermione paid close attention to their body language – looking for some kind of a tell.

From where she stood, Malfoy's smile looked sly. He angled his body towards Harry, hips almost touching when he leaned forward to say something in his ear. Whatever he'd said caused Harry to let loose his not-quite smile, it was just a small quirk of the lips; used when he was amused against his will. Playing the game right back, he bowed his head, looking at Malfoy from beneath his lashes and whispered to him. In return the blond smirked back at him – it wasn't the smirk from their school days, no, it was a friendly one that said he knew what was going on and wasn't leaving without the prize.

Turning back to answer Ron, she looked positively devious. "_I_ think that he'll be making much more than _nice_ with the 'git', Ron."

"Wait! _What?_" sputtered Ron, spitting out some of his drink and getting it on his shirt.

"Haven't you noticed by now?" she said in a matter-of-fact voice. "Those two have been dancing around each other for years," she continued letting some disdain show in her voice now, "even though we all know how I feel about Divination, for we all know it was 'written in the stars' with how much those two gravitate towards one another."

"I—Harry," he muttered incoherently, his face getting redder. "Malfoy—Harry—years?"

Hermione just smiled sweetly and kissed his cheek. "Let's go home now. It is quite late, you know."

He didn't respond. She saw that Ron was standing there looking off into space, muttering quietly to himself. Hermione sighed and started to lead him out of the Ministry – knowing that it could take a while for him to come back to himself. She waved and said their goodbyes to everyone, just telling them that her boyfriend wasn't feeling very well, in a way it was the truth as there was now a green tinge coloring his cheeks.

Outside, she Apperated them home with a muted 'pop'.

"Blimey!" yelled Ron as he fell onto the chair in their living room, eyes wide.

"Yes, it is shocking it took them so long to realize," she said quietly. "I'll just go get you a Calming Draught and we'll continue to discuss this." Leaving the room quickly—she needed to stop him from going out to look for Harry.

**O~O~O~O**

When Hermione woke the next morning, she left Ron a note saying that she had errands to run, so he could just have breakfast with his family at The Burrow.

She was going to visit Harry at his flat, wanting all of the details on his night with Malfoy. Knowing it would take time to get him to open up about them – let alone the fact that he had indeed been with the blond last night, she stopped at a bakery on her way there; getting a few of his favorite pastries.

At the flat, she didn't bother with knocking, as only she and Ron just walked in. It was the sound of voices that made her stop. Tilting her head just so, she listened closer to them—it was the second voice to make her eyes widen. That was Malfoy. Not wanting to miss this, even though Hermione knew that she shouldn't, she hurriedly shut herself inside of Harry's linen closet.

"Bah! Stop acting like a berk, Malfoy," said Harry but there was an amused quality to his voice.

There was silence but she could just imagine Malfoy's freezing glare in return. "I'm behaving carefully you great ninny, Potter!" his voice rose with each word, "I do not foresee any reason why I should be there when you tell Granger and the Weasel."

"Merlin, do you hear yourself?" Harry laughed out. "You're acting like a right nutter!"

"I just do not want to be there when your Weasel goes spare! His wife, Granger, knows enough spells to use if she were to agree with him."

Hermione had to bite her lip to hold back a giggle. Hah! Malfoy was too frightened to face them.

"C'mere," said Harry softly, and there was a light sound of movement, suggesting that Malfoy had followed. "There's no need to worry, alright? No, look, Hermione is one of the most sensible and logical people I know—one of the warmest, too. She'd listen to what we have to say. It may take her time to completely accept you, but that's because like any sister they're protective of a sibling."

She had missed whatever Malfoy'd said in response to that, because she was too busy blinking tears back. Hermione had always known that Harry loved her like a sister very much, but she hadn't known that she was held in such regard for all of her attributes.

"…And what of the Weasel?" she caught the end.

Harry hummed thoughtfully. "Ron might be a problem at first," he answered, "not that Hermione would ever let him take it that far!" he hastened to reassure the other man. "Give Ron a few days to a week and him come around unwillingly – if only for me."

"What about when you tell them how long we've been together?"

Hermione could almost _see_ and _feel_ Malfoy's eyebrow arching.

Then she realized this was not the first time these two had been together. It was a secret relationship! Oh my. She couldn't even be mad that she was wrong about them having unresolved sexual tension; she was just glad they'd gotten with the program sooner than she'd thought—that Harry wasn't as slow to this as she'd thought.

"Well," he drew out the word. "Ron might faint. Not sure, he's been known to do it a time or two in immense shock," Harry laughed his boyish giggle, "and Hermione might be a little peeved that she was wrong about us being slow with the uptake. That's about all that'll happen, well, other than Hermione wanting to know how it finally happened."

"Harry," that one word contained many things; love, amusement, frustration and exasperation. "You were slow at noticing what I wanted your attention for."

Her friend snorted. "Yeah, well, I'm pants at relationships. Blind really when it concerns me."

"No need to worry yourself about that anymore. I'm here now, love."

"I know, Draco," he said quietly, "love you, too."

"I mean it, always," Malfoy said in such a comforting tone, she never knew he had.

"Always," echoed her friend. Then, "you can come out now, Hermione."

She froze from the shock of it all. He knew? Let her see into such a tender moment between the two? Part of her felt honored—the other felt annoyed. Sneaky little arse. Harry knew she couldn't disapprove and wouldn't allow Ron to make fun when she saw how much Malfoy really cared.

"_Potter?_" it was an exclamation and a question.

When she came into the room they were sitting in, Harry's head was thrown back by the force of his laughter, body shaking of it.

"What?" he asked innocently—_too_ innocently.

"You knew she was here!" Malfoy said shrilly.

Harry smiled slyly towards the blond. "And now she knows! No more need to worry."

"I'm … happy for the two of you," she said but sounded more like a question. This was a pretty awkward situation.

"Cheers! Hermione," he said back gleefully.

"No, no, you do not get to be cheerful," said Malfoy forcefully. "Sod off, Potter! Doing something like this," he said in disbelief.

"Relax Draco, there was no harm done."

"No harm? _No_ harm? No _harm_ done?" Malfoy's voice was so shrill it made both she and Harry cringe. "Yes there was, Potter! You didn't tell me that Granger was here!"

"He still calls you by your last name?" Hermione asked, ignoring the blond who was clenching his fists – like he was stopping from throttling Harry's neck.

He nodded, "only when he's really angry at or annoyed with me," he said wisely.

"Harry bloody Potter, you'd better be listening to me!"

"Yes," he answered nonchalantly.

Malfoy regarded Harry with narrowed eyes. "We'll finish this later," his voice held a promise to it. "I'll be in the bedroom. Good day, Granger."

With that he strode out of the room, head held high.

"Still fighting, then," she said shrewdly.

"Heh. Yeah," he murmured while scratching the back of his neck. "Still, wouldn't be us without it. Don't worry," he added at her worried look, "it's nothing like when we were at school. Just think about when you and Ron have a row, and the making up after."

Harry gave her a look and a wink.

"Right, right," the shared a smile. "Well—I'll just be going then—yeah."

"You'll still be seeing me on Sunday for dinner and you can ask me for all the details then."

"Of course," she said then a sly look crossed her face, "should we set the table for one more?"

Harry raised one eyebrow. "Not after what just happened today."

The two of them hugged goodbye—saving all words for tomorrow at dinner.

Hermione left with a smile on her face. She knew one should never expect miracles, but this kind of felt like one. Like everything had worked out, even if it took longer than it should have had.

Then, abruptly, the smile left Hermione Granger's face.

She still had to tell Ron about everything that'd happened here today. Next she would be forced to listen to Ginny as she wailed on about how Malfoy had stolen her man—of course she'd be with Mrs. Weasley so it wouldn't be _too_ bad.

Well you couldn't always have everything and Hermione had gotten the one thing she'd been asking for.

Harry to be happy—and Harry was happy now.

_The End_


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